Study Desk

Jesus continued teaching. He said, "Be careful of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around wearing clothes that look important. And they love for people to show respect to them in the marketplaces.

"Tell us when these things will happen. And what will show us it is time for them to happen?"

Nations will fight against other nations. Kingdoms will fight against other kingdoms. There will be times when there is no food for people to eat. And there will be earthquakes in different places. These things are only the beginning of troubles, like the first pains of a woman giving birth.

"You must be careful! There are people who will arrest you and take you to be judged for being my followers. They will beat you in their synagogues. You will be forced to stand before kings and governors. You will tell them about me.

They should run away without wasting time to stop for anything. If someone is on the roof of their house, they must not go down to take things out of the house.

"During that time it will be hard for women who are pregnant or have small babies.

Jesus said, "Leave her alone. Why are you giving her such trouble? She did a very good thing for me.

This woman did the only thing she could do for me. She poured perfume on my body before I die to prepare it for burial.

They were very happy about this, and they promised to pay him. So he waited for the best time to hand Jesus over to them.

It was now the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread—the day the lambs were killed for the Passover. Jesus' followers came to him and said, "We will go and prepare everything for you to eat the Passover meal. Where do you want us to have the meal?"

The owner will show you a large room upstairs that is ready for us. Prepare the meal for us there."

The Son of Man will suffer what the Scriptures say will happen to him. But it will be very bad for the one who hands over the Son of Man to be killed. It would be better for him if he had never been born."

While they were eating, Jesus took some bread and thanked God for it. He broke off some pieces, gave them to his followers and said, "Take and eat this bread. It is my body."

Then he took a cup of wine, thanked God for it, and gave it to them. They all drank from the cup.

Then he said, "This wine is my blood, which will be poured out for many to begin the new agreement from God to his people.

Then he went back to his followers and found them sleeping. He said to Peter, "Simon, why are you sleeping? Could you not stay awake with me for one hour?

Stay awake and pray for strength against temptation. Your spirit wants to do what is right, but your body is weak."

After Jesus prayed a third time, he went back to his followers. He said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? That's enough! The time has come for the Son of Man to be handed over to the control of sinful men.

There was a man in prison at that time named Barabbas. He and the rebels with him had been put in prison for committing murder during a riot.

Pilate wanted to please the people, so he set Barabbas free for them. And he told the soldiers to beat Jesus with whips. Then he handed him over to the soldiers to be killed on a cross.